The Sheriffs Son and The Convicts Daughter

Chapter One ~

After Joey's mother died, Dawson and Pacey tried everything to cheer her up. They would even come to her house every day and just be there with her.

Dawson would always go on and on about the latest movie that he watched, trying to get Joey to think about something else, but she never did. She was grateful for them being there for her during this time but she just wanted her mother back. Pacey, on the other hand, would just sit next to Joey and would often squeeze her hand whenever Dawson wasn't looking. He didn't exactly know why, but he wanted Joey to know that he was there for her but he also didn't want Dawson to notice him holding her hand. But Joey let him. She didn't know why, but it felt comfortable, and right now she needed all the comfort that she could get.

Then one month later, everything changed between the three friends. It was summer, so there was no school. It was a warm and beautiful day and it was the last day that the three would get to hang out before Dawson and his parents would go on vacation for the summer, so the three were sitting on the edge of Joey's dock, enjoying ice cold lemonade. They had offered to take Joey with them, but Joey told them that the offer was kind but she wanted to stay behind with her father and sister.

Bessie was now at the Ice House working and her father was inside getting ready to work too. Joey was twelve, but she wasn't dumb, she knew her father hadn't been the best husband to her mother at the end, but he was all she had left and so she tried to forgive him.

Dawson was talking about what he was going to do this summer. His father had also given him his first camera, so he told Joey and Pacey he would film everything and show them later when he came back.

Joey didn't even try to pretend to listen to him. She just looked at the creek and thought about what her mother would have done on this day. She would probably paint outside, Joey loved to watch her mother paint. The last time she painted she was so concentrated on the painting and didn't hear Joey coming to her. When Joey spoke, her mother turned surprised and the paint on her brush sprayed right into Joey's face. At that thought Joey lips turned up to a little smile.

Pacey sat beside her, he looked over and saw her smile. At first, he was happy to see her smile again but then he remembered what day it was and what was going to happen today. He wanted to tell her, but he didn't know how. So he just took her hand in his and didn't let go.

Joey felt Pacey's finger intertwine with hers. She looked down at their hands and waited for the squeeze. But this time he didn't squeeze it, he just kept holding it.

Joey looked up and met his blue eyes. They were full of concern. She looked back to him with questions in her eyes but before she could say anything they heard a siren.

All three heads looked up to the driveway where a cop car with blue lights and siren came to a stop. It wasn't any cop car, it was the sheriff's car. Right behind it two other police cars came to a stop and five police officers including the sheriff stormed into the Potter house.

Joey didn't know what was happening. She didn't know since when she was standing and when the tears started falling down her cheeks, but she did know that she was still holding Pacey's hand. Soon there was yelling inside the house and then the policemen came out. Also her dad... handcuffed.

Everything was happening so fast and at the same time it seemed like time stop. Joey was now sobbing and just fell to the ground. Everything was just a blur to her. She didn't even notice how Pacey and Dawson wrapped their arms around her and tried to calm her down.

She cried out loud when her father sat down in one of the cars and drove away.

The sheriff, Pacey's father, looked over to the crying girl and saw his son comforting her. Anger rose in him and he went over to the three kids, yelling at his son that he should get away from 'the convict's daughter'. Pacey didn't know what to do, so he just kept on holding Joey until his father took him by his arm and forced him to stand up.

Joey looked up and just saw an angry John Witter dragging a confused Pacey to his car. The last thing she heard before the Sheriff threw his son in the car was Pacey telling her that he will come by later.

But he never came.